HOOVER – Decatur’s Tanner Burns and Westminster Christian’s Annie Willis were named Mr. Baseball and Miss Softball, respectively, by the Alabama Sports Writers Association on Sunday night at the group’s 46th annual convention at the Hyatt-Wynfrey in Hoover.

In addition, Mobile Christian’s Ethan Hearn was named the recipient of the ASWA’s Jimmy Smothers Courage Award. Named after the long-time sports editor of the Gadsden Times and guiding force in the ASWA, it recognizes his commitment to local and high school sports coverage, and honors a high school athlete who has overcome adversity and shown immense courage.

Burns, expected to be a high choice in the Major League Baseball player draft this week, was selected the ASWA’s Class 6A first-team shortstop and the 6A Player of the Year when the group’s prep committee met last week to select its all-state team. Burns was also the 6A hitter of the year in 2016 as a utility player, a first-team pitcher in 2015 and first-team designated hitter as a freshman.

In 37 games for the 32-5 Red Raiders, the senior hit .467 with 18 homers, 46 RBI, 49 hits and 56 runs. He walked 29 times and struck out just six times. As a right-handed pitcher, Burns went 10-1 with a 0.88 ERA and 116 strikeouts against 22 walks, while allowing eight earned runs in 64 innings. The Auburn signee helped Decatur to the quarterfinals – where the team was ranked 32nd in the nation before its loss to Cullman.

Willis was the Pitcher and Player of the Year in Class 4A in helping her team to a runner-up finish and a 51-4-1 record. With 543 strikeouts this year, she finished her pitching career with 1,975. This year, she went 43-3-1 and had an ERA of 0.40. She pitched five no-hitters, three perfect games and 21 shutouts. Willis allowed 44 walks, 90 hits and 15 earned runs in 259 2/3 innings.

The senior hit .464 this year with 12 homers, 64 RBI, 70 hits, scored 40 runs, walked 23 times and struck out just nine times. She was a first-team all-state pitcher as a junior and sophomore and was honorable mention as a freshman. The Troy signee helped the Wildcats to a high-water mark of 14th in the country.

Hearn was honored for his courage in the face of tremendous adversity. The sophomore returned from football practice on a Thursday night last November to find his mother dead of an apparent suicide. Though his teammates and coaches rushed to his house to comfort him that night, few expected him to make the trip to Oakman early the next morning for the team’s Class 3A quarterfinal playoff game. Not only did Hearn make the trip, he made 8.5 tackles in a Mobile Christian victory and eventually helped power the Leopards to the title game.

MONTGOMERY – Hoover High School senior left-handed pitcher Brock Guffey hurled a 2-hit shutout to beat Auburn 4-0 in game two of the AHSAA Class 7A State Baseball Championship Series Saturday, then hurled the final 1 1/3 innings in game three to earn the save as the Bucs captured the state crown.
Guffey (11-0), the 7A Series MVP, struck out 11, walked none and faced just one batter over the limit in the first-game win Saturday for Coach Adam Moseley’s Bucs (41-11). He set the pace early striking out the first three batters he faced. Auburn center fielder Trey Woodham got a double but was thrown out at third and first baseman Carter Phillips managed a single to also reach base safely.
Third baseman Peyton Wilson had two hits and an RBI and left fielder Brandon Agsalud had a single and two RBIs to pace Hoover.
Hoover picked up where it left off in game three with senior Devin Cole (5-2) hurling five strong innings as the Bucs built a 6-0 lead. The Bucs shut out Auburn for 11 consecutive innings on Saturday and ran the streak with 13 counting the final two innings Friday night in game one.
Junior first baseman Sonny DiChiara doubled in a run in the first inning to give Hoover a quick 1-0 lead. The Bucs scored five runs in the third with DiChiara doubling in another run, Drew Guffey, Brook’s brother, singling to plate another run and Ty Robinson driving in two with a double.
Auburn, coached by Matt Cimo, finally got on the board with two unearned runs off Cole in the fifth. Cole, who got the win, allowed just one hit, walked two and struck out three before yielding to Hoover reliever Griffin Lape in the sixth.
Woodham singled and scored to highlight the fifth for the Tigers. Auburn closed to 6-3 in the sixth and Moseley turned to his first-game winning Guffey to come in to close out the win. Guffey allowed three hits and two runs in his relief stretch but pitched out of a seventh-inning jam to get the save. Auburn’s Rowdey Jordan drove in two runs with a single to give the Tigers one last chance at the win.
DiChiara’s two doubles paced Hoover’s eight-hit attack. Tyler Williams also had two hits while Robinson and DiChiara each had two RBIs. Shortstop Garrett Farquhar scored two runs.
Ryan Lambert (6-2) started for Auburn and got the loss.
Hoover’s baseball title was the school’s second. The 7A Series closed out the 2017 State Baseball Championships.

MONTGOMERY – Auburn High School plated five runs in the bottom of the first inning and then held on to beat Hoover 9-6 in the first game of the AHSAA Class 7A State Baseball Championship Series at Paterson Field Friday night.
The Tigers (28-10) and Bucs (39-11) move to Riverwalk Stadium Saturday morning for game two at 10 a.m. If a third game is needed in the best 2-of-3 series, it will start 30 minutes after game two concludes. All games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network.
Both teams combined for 24 hits with Coach Adam Moseley’s Bucs out-hitting Coach Matt Cimo’s Tigers 14-10. Hoover stranded 11 runners, however, and Auburn just five. The Tigers bunched four hits in the first inning to take a quick 5-0 lead. Teddy Benda got the first of his two hits to plate one run and catcher Rawlins Cleveland added a two-run homer that hit the screen on the left-field foul pole..
Hoover got three back in the top of the second with five hits. Drew Guffey’s double down the left-field line plated two of the runs. Auburn added another run in the bottom of the inning on Brooks Fuller’s double to center field to lead 6-3. Max Garvey homered over the left-field wall in the top of the fourth as Hoover closed the cap to 6-5.
Auburn answered quickly again with Benda driving in more runs with a single to left. The Tigers got another run in the fifth and Hoover managed a single run in the sixth to close out the scoring.
Starting pitcher Drew Jennings (6-2) allowed 11 hits over 5 1/3 innings to get the win for Auburn. Ryan Lambert pitched the final inning to get the save. Hoover starter Scott Elgin (8-4) gave up nine hits and nine runs to get the loss. He struck out four.
Benda finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs for Cimo’s Tigers. Cleveland also had two hits and two RBIs, and Fuller finished with two hits and two RBIs. Lead-off hitter Rowdey Jordan had one hit and scored three runs.
Garrett Farquhar, Brandon Agsalud, C.J. Gilliland, Ty Robinson, Guffey and Garvey each had two hits. Guffey finished with two RBIs.

MONTGOMERY – Helena High School built a four-run lead thanks to the clutch pitching of junior Landon Green in final game three of the AHSAA Class 6A State Baseball Championship Series at Riverwalk Stadium Friday, and then managed to hold at the end to win 5-4.
Helena forced game three with a dramatic 3-2 win in game two Friday morning at Riverwalk Stadium thanks to another strong pitching performance by Troy Cordrey in game two. The Huskies (38-6), coached by P.J. Guy, fell behind 1-0 after one inning in the finale, but tied the game in the top of the fourth when Nick Ragsdale scored on a Cullman error.
In the bottom of the inning, Green (11-0) turned the momentum in a big way by striking out the Bearcats’ No. 3, 4 and 5 hitters on nine pitched strikes. Helena then rallied for four runs in the top of the fifth to build a 5-1 lead. Riley Davis, Sam Praytor and Brooks Brophy each got hits and then the wheels fell off Cullman’s defense as two wild pitches and an infield error led to the four runs.
Green, who pitched 6 2/3 innings allowing just two hits and striking out five, ran into trouble in the bottom of the seventh hitting three batters as Coach Brent Patterson’s Bearcats (38-9) scored a run and loaded the bases. Reliever Brooks Brophy walked the first two batters he faced to make it a one-run game, but he got Carter Bowen to fly out to deep left for third out to end the game.
Cordrey, who earned MVP honors, had one RBI in the third game. Davis and Green each had two hits. Lovell had an RBI single and Grayson Taylor stroked a double to pace Cullman.
In first game Friday at Riverwalk, Cullman took the lead 2-0 in the top of the fourth on Carter Bowen’s two-run single. Helena got a run back in the bottom of the inning and tied the game in the sixth. Left fielder Nick Ragsdale doubled to left to lead off the bottom of the seventh for the Huskies. Pinch runner Lawson Peoples got to third on a sacrifice by Brandon Moss and scored the winning run on pinch hitter Colton Hood’s fielder’s choice to end the game.
Cordrey (11-2) hurled a three-hitter and struck out six to get the win for the Huskies. Will Morris (10-1) pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowed four hits and also struck out six for the Bearcats.
Hoover and Auburn started the Class 7A Championship Series Friday night with a single game at Paterson Field at 6 p.m. The two teams will close out AHSAA State Baseball Championship Series Saturday at Riverwalk Stadium beginning at 10 a.m. All games are live-streamed by the NFHS Network.

MONTGOMERY – Cullman High School downed Helena 9-1 in a lightning-delayed first game of the AHSAA Class 6A State Baseball Championship Series Thursday night at Paterson Field to take a 1-0 advantage into game two of the best 2-of-3 series that resumes Friday at Riverwalk Stadium at 10 a.m.
All games in the AHSAA State Baseball Championships are being live-streamed by the NFHS Network.
Coach Brent Paterson’s Bearcats (38-7) scored five runs in the first two innings to build a 5-1 lead. The lead stretched to 6-1 before a lightning delay stopped the game for more than an hour.
Cullman added two more runs once play resumed and coasted to the triumph – collecting 10 hits and taking advantage of eight Helena errors.
Winning pitcher Jacob Heatherly (10-1) pitched 6 1/3 innings allowing only two hits and one unearned run. Michael Myers got the final two outs for the Bearcats. Riley Davis (7-1) got the loss. There no strikeouts registered by either team . Senior center fielder Owen Lovell slugged a double and plated two runs for Cullman. Caleb Lipsey had three hits and scored twice, Trent Price had two hits and an RBI and lead-off hitter Noah Fondren had a single and scored two runs.
Nash Adams had a double and Davis had a single for Coach P.J. Guy’s Huskies.
Hoover and Auburn will start the Class 7A Championship Series Friday night with a single game at Paterson Field at 6 p.m. The two teams will close out State Baseball Championship Series Saturday at Riverwalk Stadium beginning at 10 a.m.

MONTGOMERY –Russellville High School beat Faith Academy 7-4 in game three of the AHSAA 2017 Class 5A State Baseball Championship Series at Riverwalk Stadium to captured the Golden Tigers’ third straight state title. Both teams also met in the finals in 2016.
Coach Chris Heaps’ Tigers (38-10) took 1-0 lead in the series Wednesday night with a 9-1 win over the Rams. However, Faith Academy (30-8) forced game three with a dramatic 8-7 win in game two at Riverwalk Stadium Thursday morning.
Russellville took control of the third and final game of the best 2-of-3 series plating four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take control.8-7 win in game two. The Tigers picked up another run in the fourth and led 7-0 with two more runs in the fourth. Coach Matt Seymour’s Rams (30-8) clawed back into the contest with two runs in the sixth and seventh innings, but it was too little too late.
Starting pitcher Skylar Holland (6-3) pitched six strong innings to get the win for Russellville to get the game three win. He pitched in relief in game two and got the loss. Holland allowed five hits, two runs, walked one and struck out four before he reached his 120-pitch limit for the day. Judd Ward and Rudy Fernandez hurled the seventh inning to close out the game. Fernandez got the final two outs to get the save.
Class 5A Championship Series MVP Cody Greenhill, who pitched the 9-1 win in game one, had two hits and two RBIs to earn MVP honors. His clutch hit in the fourth gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead. Ward, Houston Kitterman and Tom Barkley Scott also had two hits. Colin Garrison also slugged a triple and scored two runs.
Braxton Bell, who pitched five innings in relief, had a double and single and two RBIs for Faith Academy. Chris Sargent and Brooks Carlson also had two hits.
Leading 5-1 Game 2, the Rams gave up six runs in the fifth and sixth inning and trailed Russellville 7-5 heading into the top of the seventh. Faith plated three runs in the top of the inning and blanked the Tigers in the bottom of the seventh to seal an 8-7 win.
Bell (2-2 pitched the final 1 2/3 innings to get the win. He allowed one hit, walked one and faced just six batters. Skylar Holland (5-3) pitched the final inning for Russellville and got the loss. Starter Chad Wray went six innings for the Tigers allowing six hits, five runs and striking out nine. Faith starter Gabe Shepard pitched four innings, gave up six hits and five runs and whiffed seven.
Carlson had a double, single and RBI to pace Faith. Catcher Christian Waltman also had a double. Holland had three hits and three RBIs to pace Russellville. Scott and Garrison also had two hits each. Scott also had two RBIs.
The Class 6A Championship Series got underway Thursday night at Paterson Field with game one between Cullman and Helena set for 6 p.m. The 6A series will move to Riverwalk Stadium Friday morning at 10 a.m. Class 7A begins its championship series at Paterson Field Friday night at 6 p.m. Hoover and Auburn will then close out the 7A series Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. with game two of the best 2-of-3 series.
All games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network.

MONTGOMERY – Defending Class 5A state champion Russellville slugged 11 hits in the AHSAA Class 5A State Baseball Championship Series game at Paterson Field to beat Faith Academy 9-1 Wednesday night.
The Golden Tigers (37-9) take the 1-0 lead into game two Thursday at Riverwalk Stadium. Faith Academy and Russellville will play game two of the best 2-of-3 series at 10 a.m., with game three set to start 30 minutes later if needed. The series is a rematch from last year’s Class 5A finals.
Senior first baseman Skylar Holland had three hits and an RBI, junior shortstop Landon Ezzell had a double, single and two RBIs and senior Cody Greenhill had a double and two RBIs for Coach Chris Heaps’ Tigers. Colin Garrison also scored two runs, had two RBIs and one hit as the lead-off hitter for Russellville.
Greenhill (12-2) did the rest, pitching a complete-game two-hitter and striking out 11 to get the win.
Faith Academy (29-7), coached by Matt Seymour, got its only run in the sixth inning when Jackson Bell scored on Brooks Carlson’s sacrifice fly. Bell and Christian Waltman had one hit each for the Rams. Starting pitcher Reece Ewing (5-4) hurled 5 1/3 innings, allowed nine hits eight runs and struck out two to get the loss.
The Class 6A Championship Series gets underway Thursday night at Paterson Field with game one between Cullman and Helena set for 6 p.m. The 6A series will move to Riverwalk Stadium Friday morning at 10 a.m. Class 7A begins its championship series at Paterson Field Friday night at 6 p.m. Hoover and Auburn will then close out the 7A series Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. with game two of the best 2-of-3 series.
All games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network.

MONTGOMERY – Defending Class 5A state champion Russellville slugged 11 hits in the AHSAA Class 5A State Baseball Championship Series game at Paterson Field to beat Faith Academy 9-1 Wednesday night.
The Golden Tigers (37-9) take the 1-0 lead into game two Thursday at Riverwalk Stadium. Faith Academy and Russellville will play game two of the best 2-of-3 series at 10 a.m., with game three set to start 30 minutes later if needed. The series is a rematch from last year’s Class 5A finals.
Senior first baseman Skylar Holland had three hits and an RBI, junior shortstop Landon Ezzell had a double, single and two RBIs and senior Cody Greenhill had a double and two RBIs for Coach Chris Heaps’ Tigers. Colin Garrison also scored two runs, had two RBIs and one hit as the lead-off hitter for Russellville.
Greenhill (12-2) did the rest, pitching a complete-game two-hitter and striking out 11 to get the win.
Faith Academy (29-7), coached by Matt Seymour, got its only run in the sixth inning when Jackson Bell scored on Brooks Carlson’s sacrifice fly. Bell and Christian Waltman had one hit each for the Rams. Starting pitcher Reece Ewing (5-4) hurled 5 1/3 innings, allowed nine hits eight runs and struck out two to get the loss.
The Class 6A Championship Series gets underway Thursday night at Paterson Field with game one between Cullman and Helena set for 6 p.m. The 6A series will move to Riverwalk Stadium Friday morning at 10 a.m. Class 7A begins its championship series at Paterson Field Friday night at 6 p.m. Hoover and Auburn will then close out the 7A series Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. with game two of the best 2-of-3 series.
All games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network.

MONTGOMERY – UMS-Wright High School’s Sam Plash was 4-for-4 with a double, three singles and two RBIs Wednesday night to lead the Bulldogs to a game three 5-1 victory over Madison Academy to clinch the AHSAA Class 4A state championship for the Bulldogs at Riverwalk Stadium. The state title was the second in a row for the Mobile school and their 10th overall.
Plash, the Class 4A Series MVP, and team collected 10 hits in the final game – quite a contrast to the six hits in game two when Madison Academy posted a 9-1 win to force game three. Winning pitcher Brant Dixon (6-3) scattered five hits, walked one and struck out two in a strong performance to get the win.
Jake Christa’s second-inning home run that hit the screen on the foul pole down the left-field line closed gave Coach David Pressley’s Mustangs some momentum as they closed a 4-run UMS lead to 4-1. Dixon, however, kept the MA batters off-stride with his breaking pitches and the Bulldogs defense did the rest to seal the championship.
Senior Tanner Allen added a triple and single, Dalton Goff had two hits and an RBI and Skipper Snypes doubled in a run for Coach Kevin Raley’s Bulldogs (28-13).
Madison Academy starter Sam King (7-3) gave up five hits and four runs in the first two innings to get the loss. Nate Buchanan hurled five strong innings of relief for the Mustangs (30-17) striking out three and just allowing four hits and one run. Madison Academy moved to Class 4A this season after winning the last three state titles in Class 3A.
UMS-Wright took a 1-0 lead in the series Tuesday night with a 5-1 at Paterson Field. Madison Academy forced game three winning the first game at Riverwalk Stadium Wednesday 9-1.
Winning pitcher Dylan Murphy (7-2) pitched five innings, allowed six hits and struck out five for the Mustangs. Cade Morson pitched the last two innings allowing no hits, no runs, walking four and striking out two. UMS-Wright starter Dalton Goff (5-5) pitched 5 1/3 innings allowing 11 hits and all nine runs. He struck out one, walked two and hit three batters.
Senior center fielder James Nix was 3-for-3 with a double, two-run homer and four RBIs. His blast in the fifth inning turned a 4-1 game into a 7-1 contest and the Bulldogs never recovered.
Catcher Christian Cooper had a single and RBI to lead UMS-Wright.
Russellville and Faith Academy will complete the Class 5A Championship Series Thursday morning starting at with game two at 10 a.m. Game three will follow if needed 30 minutes after completion of game two.
The Class 6A Championship Series gets underway Thursday night at Paterson Field with game one between Cullman and Helena set for 6 p.m. The 6A series will move to Riverwalk Stadium Friday morning at 10 a.m. Class 7A begins its championship series at Paterson Field Friday night at 6 p.m. Hoover and Auburn will then close out the 7A series Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. with game two of the best 2-of-3 series.
All games are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network.

MONTGOMERY – Conner Jednat tossed a 2-hitter over 6 1/3 innings to lead UMS-Wright to a 5-1 win over Madison Academy in game one of the Class 4A State Baseball Championship Series at Paterson Field Tuesday night.
The series moves to Riverwalk Stadium Wednesday at 4 p.m., for game two – with game three, if needed, to follow 30 minutes later in the best 2-of-3 series.
UMS-Wright (27-12), the defending Class 4A state champs, out-hit Madison Academy 10-3. The Mustangs, in Class 4A for the first time, won Class 3A the last three years.
Jednat walked six and struck out seven. He was pulled in the seventh when he reached the maximum 120 pitches allowed. Tanner Allen got the last two out on a double-play to end the game.
Evan Hannah’s solo homer to left in the second inning gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. The lead extended to 5-0 with a single run in the third and fourth and two runs in the fifth. Skipper Snypes and Allen had two hits each for Coach Kevin Raley’s team. Snypes scored two runs. He and Allen each had a double.
Madison Academy (29-16) was led by Cade Morrison’s two hits. Losing pitcher Jake Christa (7-3) allowed all 10 hits over 4 2/3 innings. Reliever Evan Liddie gave up no hits over the final 2 1/3 innings.
Russellville and Faith Academy will start the Class 5A Championship Series Wednesday night with a single game at Paterson Field. The two teams will close out their series Thursday at Riverwalk.